A curious late Victorian read that for a long time was more popular than Dracula.
Abandoning the forward, which threatened to wring any joy I might get from the book itself with analysis of events I had yet to read. An afterword would be suitable, but these forwards that presume you read the book (!!) and seek to destroy it with their socio-political analysis, spoilers on plot points, etc, etc. Highly annoying.
Anyways, back to the book - a homeless man breaks into a house, and encounters a sinister and quite possibly supernatural force that has made it's way to London for unholy vengeance upon a certain esteemed politician.
A dark secret slowly unfolding, the mystery slowly is teased out through the 5 main narrators, melodramatic, themes of electricity and science driving out the Old Gods of Infinite Terror, of Xenophobia and the fear of the conquered other, of occult and ancient cults that kidnap English Christian Maidens, subject them to orgies of unimaginable cruelty before burning them alive as a sacrifice to ISIS, ...
Well, too much more and you won't want to read it. An interesting and curious read, which if you're at all inclined you can do so here:
LINK: The Beetle - Richard Marsh VIA PROJECT GUTENBERG